MidEast Peace Envoy Mitchell Resigns Amid Jerusalem Clashes

By IBT Staff Reporter On 05/13/11 AT 12:25 PM

Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell is resigning after two years of mediating peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis which have stalled and amid ongoing tensions which led to clashes on Friday throughout the West Bank.

Mitchell will say he is resigning for personal reasons, White House officials speaking on condition of anonymity said, according to the Associated Press.

On Friday, Israel Defense Force soldiers and Palestinians engaged in clashes in Jerusalem in which one person was wounded from live fire in the eastern part of the city, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The clashes come just days ahead of planned demonstrations to commemorate the Nakba, in which Palestinians protest their displacement after the creation of Israel in 1948.

IDF soldiers have reportedly fired into the air to stop stone-throwing. Large scale violence did not materialize, according to Ynet News. The publication reported the IDF dispersed a group near the Palestinian village of Nabi Salah, east of Ramallah which included dozens of Palestinians, foreign nationals and Israeli leftist activists. Protestors said more than 10 people were hurt.

Direct peace talks between the side resumed in Washington last September as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, along with other Middle East leaders including Jordan's King Abdullah and now-deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak joined them.